Clearing the Table

by Marinka on November 12, 2009

I’m an only child.  Well, if you don’t count my baby brother.  So I’m always amazed by human sibling interaction.

Recently  I made a chore chart, because I realized that I was running around maniacally while the kids were doing nothing.

Set Table

Clear Table

Unload Dishwasher

Take out garbage/ Recycling

Four chores, times seven days, divided by three kids, means that they each got to pick nine chore slots, and then there was one left over.  No one volunteered for that one, so on Sunday night, Husbandrinka will be clearing the table.   So each kid got to choose their chores.  Except Young Ladrinka got to choose last, and by that time, the only chore available was Clear Table which is The Worst Chore in the History of Chores.  As a matter of fact, they’re going to be having a parade in honor of children forced to clear the table after dinner to thank them for their service to our country.

Every night while he clears the table, he says things like “I can’t believe that I’m stuck with this stupid chore. PLUS, I’ve been sick all week.”  I’m thinking of getting an out-of-work musician to accompany him on the violin.  Don’t worry, he’ll get to choose second next week, and first the week after that.

So knowing the pain and emotional anguish that Clearing the Table causes her younger brother, what does my daughter do?

She gets the extra plates for herself.  Yes, she has a bread plate, and a main plate and a salad plate and a small plate for her cookie and a plate to hold her napkin.  So Young Ladrinka has to clear extra plates.  But it totally backfires.  Because she’s the one who has to unload the dishwasher.

One year ago ...

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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

Swistle November 12, 2009 at 8:18 am

I had a similar “Hey, these slackers are sitting around picking their toes while I run ragged” moment recently. Last night I had the toddler vacuuming.
.-= Swistle´s last blog ..Adding (a Pet) to the Family =-.

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Coco
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 8:38 am

I LOVE it. Kids will work harder to not do something when it is so much simpler to just DO it.

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Maureen@IslandRoar November 12, 2009 at 9:02 am

I don’t understand people whose children don’t do chores.
What the hell other reason was there to have kids??
.-= Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..At A Loss (part two) =-.

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Vicki
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 9:17 am

Why don’t you add “Make dinner” there into the mix and see how much they complain about clearing the table at that point.
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..NaNoWriMo: Day 11 =-.

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Marinka November 12, 2009 at 9:20 am

Because, as they say in this country, “I want to live to see another day.”

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anna see November 12, 2009 at 10:11 am

thanks for reminding me that my kids don’t do squat. things are going to get a little shake-up around here this weekend.

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Jennifer H November 12, 2009 at 10:32 am

Hope you point it out to her, but AFTER she’s made extra work for herself for a few days.
.-= Jennifer H´s last blog ..Buttons =-.

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Marinka November 12, 2009 at 10:53 am

Unfortunately, she realized it that same night. Damn it.

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Suzy
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 11:11 am

With only 2 kids (that I know of) in our family, it was much easier. One week I had to set the table, clear the table and load the dishwasher and then I got the next week off and my sister did it. If either of our parents (that I know of) forgot and asked the wrong child to set the table, that child would yell out NOT MY WEEK, SUCKERS. And then run for her life.
.-= Suzy´s last blog ..Why The Internet Doesn’t Always Suck =-.

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peajaye
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 11:34 am

shouldn’t “refill mommy’s martini glass” be on that list?

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TMCPhoto November 12, 2009 at 12:49 pm

karma; she is a bitch, no?
.-= TMCPhoto´s last blog ..Electric 4 ACEO =-.

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Issa
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 1:00 pm

A plate for her napkin? Man I like that girl. Ha.

Of course, paybacks a bitch…or a baby brother.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..Happy 2nd birthday Maddie Moo =-.

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SoccerMom November 12, 2009 at 1:13 pm

I am one of those parents whose children don’t do any chores. I made a list once, but really I just had to go back and redo everything anyways. Recently my 15 year offered to do chores again, but for a price. So now on occassion when he actually does the chores(minimal amount, I might add) he wants to be paid immediately and in cash. $10. WTF. This can’t possibly be my kid!

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MommyTime
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 1:30 pm

You should tell them that back in the good old days (you know, when we all had to walk to school, barefoot, in the snow, uphill BOTH ways), Mamas used to make chore charts like that that had *in addition* to the daily chores, a set of Saturday chores that included cleaning the bathrooms, doing the family laundry, and vacuuming/dusting the whole house. Huh. How convenient. That seems to be three chores. To divide amongst three kids. That how my two sisters and I counted it up anyway. Does the New Math count it differently? If not, they really should be giving you a thank you gift rather than complaining.

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Roshni November 12, 2009 at 1:51 pm

hmmm…in my house, the kid who wants to do chores is two years old and its a chore cleaning up after his chores!!

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Catherine
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 1:52 pm

When I was a kid, we had chores: upstairs bathroom, downstairs bathroom, dusting and vacuuming. Clearing the table is CAKE. Not that I enjoy it myself.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Reader Response =-.

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Holli November 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm

I know you’re gonna roll your eyes, but if you move across the world and live in a developing country as an expat, you could raise kids who never lift a finger because there is a slew of househelp…

Does that help? 😉
.-= Holli´s last blog ..Walk in – Roll Out. Houston hosts Holli =-.

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Elise November 12, 2009 at 7:06 pm

Have they begun deal making between themselves yet?

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the mama bird diaries
Twitter:
November 12, 2009 at 9:57 pm

i loathe unloading the dishwasher. I think that is the very worst job.

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JulieBouf November 12, 2009 at 11:36 pm

Like Catherine, I was also worked like a slave until my fingers bled. My advice is to tell him to deal with it or you will consider moving to the suberbs where he will also have to rake leaves, weed, and cut the grass.
.-= JulieBouf´s last blog ..Happy, happy, happy Birthday! =-.

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Elisa
Twitter:
November 13, 2009 at 7:38 am

LOL – your kids are hilarious. They almost make me wish I had a sibling in addition to the multitude of cousins I grew up with (I am Italian after all, which means expanded family). Almost.

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Jessica November 15, 2009 at 1:05 pm

As a matter of fact, they’re going to be having a parade in honor of children forced to clear the table after dinner to thank them for their service to our country.

You can include my daughter in the line of children to be honored, at least according to her

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